The opinions expressed in this op-ed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Military.com. If you would like to submit your own commentary, please send your article to opinions@military.com for consideration. There are roughly 4,500 U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria today, and they represent a potentially significant strategic vulnerability to our country. U.S. service members have been stationed in Syria since early 2016, with troops kept in the country by both